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ArticlesCrossjoin

Investing in Employee Training and Development

By April 3, 2024No Comments

Crossjoin is an excellent place to work as it has a culture focused on people, their well-being, growth and development.

At Crossjoin, concern for the employee, their well-being and their development potential starts from the moment they are onboarded. In an interview with Human Resources Portugal, Susana Pires, Senior Consultant in Recruitment, Fidelization and Recognition, explains the main features of the company’s people management, employee feedback and future goals.

What are the main factors that distinguish Crossjoin as a “great place to work”?
Crossjoin stands out from the outset, starting with a distinctive Welcome on Board process, which aims to welcome and orient the new employee. We give them a tour of the centers, introduce them to their new colleagues and give them a welcome kit. We want you to feel at home, involved and interested, so in the course of a conversation, we tell you our story about our culture, conduct, policies, our DNA and present our digital booklet, a brochure that focuses on unraveling the complexities of the company’s mentality, seeking to understand the underlying principles, values and beliefs that guide its actions.

Our Technology Center was created to provide the best experience with excellent working conditions and good equipment, a clean space, built with sustainable materials, which reflects Crossjoin’s identity and values. We’re betting on this location (Almada), with good access and away from the hustle and bustle of traffic.

We also have various benefits, such as a training plan, a health insurance plan that extends to the family, a monthly gym membership offer, a partnership with Mercer as a tax benefit system, annual profit sharing for all employees, bonuses for objectives at Architect level, a network of partners with online pharmacies, opticians, Meo, dentists and restaurants.

We also offer Crossers and their families six consultations a year in five different specialties. On birthdays we send an email to congratulate the colleague and offer a gift certificate. We organize various events so that we can get to know each other better in a more informal setting, such as a Christmas event for Crossers and their families, a summer event with at least two days of socializing, monthly happy hours where we focus on socializing, quarterly Kick-offs with communication from our CEO and heads of the Corporate areas to employees and various solidarity actions every year. We have implemented ISO9001 and ISO27001, promoting the quality and security of information and skills among our employees.

How would you describe the People Management strategy that brought you to this result?
When we talk about people management at Crossjoin, we’re talking about attracting talent, keeping and continually recognizing our people, and investing in their growth and development. It’s essential to surround ourselves with people with the same cultural fit. In addition, training at our CrossMind Academy is essential, as it is during this period that employees get to know our culture, practices and methodologies. Crossjoin’s CEO makes a point of being at the Academy every Friday in order to listen to each new employee and share his or her experience, valuing the practicality of the values, principles, tools and methodologies that make up the teachings of the Academy program.

The alignment of our people is essential for their retention and productivity. At Crossjoin, everyone believes in the purpose of improving people’s lives through technology. They know how to do it, guided by our values and principles. In addition to alignment, Crossers need to feel motivated and challenged. The nature of our business helps here. We are an international company focused on the performance of information systems and we operate in various sectors of activity.

Our Crossers feel constantly challenged to come into contact with multiple technologies, and there is a world of opportunity for them to develop their skills. We don’t follow a hierarchical pyramid model of organization. We are a self-managed company and this makes everyone feel more committed and we are more agile in managing change. We have an informal, collaborative and attractive environment.

What good practices were introduced or strengthened in 2023?
In 2023 we completed the creation of a booklet that delves into the intricate layers of the organization’s mindset. It aims to provide a comprehensive description that will help stakeholders gain a clearer understanding of how the company thinks and operates, ultimately leading to informed decision-making and better alignment within the organization. We talk about our culture, our principles and values, how we regularly challenge the impossible thanks to our methodologies and our team, and how we create time through perfect performance. You’ll also find all the information you need to know to be autonomous at Crossjoin. With sustainability in mind, sustainable water bottles were offered to replace paper cups in the water machines.

On the other hand, what were your biggest challenges last year in terms of people management?
The biggest challenge in people management today is to find effective ways to keep employees in the company, in other words, to retain them. We invest in valuing our professionals: we review the growth strategy every year, defining objectives that will guarantee the career progression of each employee. Involvement in the company’s culture and growth is fundamental for them to feel part of something, and for this we have our quarterly kickoffs which have been improving with a focus on sharing the information needed by everyone.

How have changes in the world of work influenced Crossjoin’s people management practices?
With regard to people management practices, we have been ensuring that employees are prepared to work with new technologies, as well as automating processes so that the company gets the most out of these innovations.

The market is increasingly adopting the remote working policy, so Crossjoin re-evaluates its working policies according to each project and adopts measures to ensure that remote employees are involved, productive and feel connected to the company culture.

With all the changes and demands of the market, it is essential that employees are constantly developing their skills. To this end, we invest in training programs that are defined annually to ensure that everyone is up to date and prepared to face the challenges of the ever-changing world of work.

From the feedback you get from employees, what do they consider essential in a “great place to work”?
There is no doubt that the investment in the training plan established for everyone is recognized as an instrument for career growth, as are the moments of evaluation that provide a better understanding and direction for each person’s career progression.

They also value internal training given by colleagues so that they can learn more about a particular technology developed by their colleague. Another principle we have is “Crosser”, which means that we give colleagues the opportunity to develop different projects and get to know different technologies, so that we can easily adapt to different contexts and learning and evolution are constant.

How is Crossjoin working to maintain or increase this level of employee satisfaction in 2024?
For 2024 we will continue to promote skills development through the training plan and brownbags, allowing employees to develop their careers and feel valued by the company.

Maintaining transparent and open communication with employees is key to increasing job satisfaction. Crossjoin ensures that everyone is well informed about company goals, organizational changes and growth opportunities through our quarterly kickoffs.

We continue to focus on improving benefits and incentives for all Crossers, thus demonstrating Crossjoin’s commitment to looking after everyone’s well-being and success. We also plan to improve our regular feedback programs, continuing to listen to everyone’s needs and concerns, helping and guiding them along the path to good performance. We will continue to recognize and value the performance of all those who meet expectations.

Human Resources
March 2024

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